8 sea lions die from algae-produced toxin, Marine Mammal Center says

[USA] A toxin produced by algal blooms in the Pacific Ocean is the suspected culprit in multiple sea lion deaths, an official with Laguna Beach’s Pacific Marine Mammal Center said.

Since April 4 the center that cares for marine mammals stranded from Seal Beach south to San Onofre has rescued 15 sea lions poisoned by domoic acid, Krysta Higuchi, the center’s public relations coordinator, said Thursday. Eight of the animals have died. The Orange County Register first reported the story.

“Unfortunately, when an animal is that far along, there is not much we can do,” Higuchi said. “We have not seen something like this since 2007.”

Higuchi said she went to Main Beach in Laguna Beach on April 4 after receiving reports of a sea lion that looked confused.